Sure, you live there, but how much do you really know about our home galaxy? You might be surprised what lurks a few light years away.

A Visitor's Guide to the Milky Way

A Visitor's Guide to the Milky Way

Scientists announced in January that 10 billion stars in the Milky Way may be orbited by Earth-like planets. Not only are these planets expected to be similar in size to our own, but they're also located in zones temperate enough for liquid water to form. That's good news for intergalactic tourism, says University of Copenhagen astrophysicist Uffe Jørgensen, who led the research. Jørgensen predicts that people will begin colonizing the moon and Mars, then eventually travel to planets around other stars. Here's what adventurous planet-hoppers should know before leaving home.

Natural Wonder

Natural Wonder

Nothing beats a double sunset. The planets Kepler-16b, -34b, and -35b each orbit two stars at once, much like Tatooine in Star Wars. According to new research, such double-sun planets may be common throughout the galaxy.